Lock washer



y July 4, 1933. C, GIOLSON l 1,916,525

LOCK WASHER Filed July 3l, 1950 Patented July 4, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARL G. OLSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIGNoR 'ro sIIAxEPRooF Loox 'WASHER COMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS; A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE LOCK WASHER Application filed July 31,

used, which are annular in form vand which are provided with a plurality of radial prongs which are adapted to lockingly'engage a workpiece. However, my present invention presents certain distinct improvements in structural characteristics over the above mentioned conventional types of pronged washers.

It is an object of my present invention to provide adistinct improvement in the structure of locking prongs in washers of the annular type, and to this end I propose to eliminate the. necessity of bending the radial edges of said prongs in the conventional manner, in order to project a portion thereof out of the plane of the washer body so as to present a locking tooth. Y

f More specifically, my invention contemplates' the provision of a plurality of prongs disposed along and formed integral with an annular body'portion, said prongs having their radial edges upset in a novel manner so as 'to force a portion ofthe stock, which would' otherwise be adjacently positioned with respect to thev next prong, out of the Vplane of the washer body so as to provide a work engaging tooth.`

A' further obj ect of my invention is to provide av lock washer of theprongptype, in which Vradial-prongs are provided with edges forming locking spurs on opposite sides of the-washer,` said spurs being included between a pair'of converging sides, one of said sides being substantially parallel to the axis of. the washer body so as to present a rigid These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein- Figure 1 isa plan view of a washer constructed in accordance with the teachings of my invention; f l

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view 1930. Serial No. 471,972.

thereof takensubstantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan View ofv a conical lock washer provided with spurs or `locking teeth embodying features of lmy present invention.

Referring to the drawing, it will be seen that one embodiment ofmy invention includes a lock washer having an annular body portion 10, and formed integral with and extending inwardly therefrom is a plurality of prongsk 12.

These prongs are spaced along the inner margin of the body portion 10, and it will be seen that the side edgesof each prong taper toward each other and are substantially radial with respect to the center of the washer. It will be noted that I provide on each prong oppositely disposed locking teeth or spurs 14, and particular attention is directed to the manner in which these `spurs are formed upon said prongs. Each of the spurs 14 has a side surface 16y which is inclined with respect to the plane of the washer body and a companion surface 18 converging therewith, which extends substantially parallel with the axis of the washer. In

'other words, the surface 18 is disposed at substantially right angles with respect to ing oppositely disposed Vedges of washerteeth out of the plane thereof` By employingy myk improvedk prong construction, I provide a backing for the spurslllvwhen said spurs are clamped between 'work pieces. In other words, instead of bending the entire section of the stock of each prong outwardly, as has been the practice heretofore, I merely upset the edges of the prong so as toforce a portion of the stock out of the plane of the washer to present the locking spur or tooth. In this mannerk the stock which ispositioned at theroot of the spur 14 provides a very rigid backing therefor to counteract the tendency for said spur to be forcedY inwardly when the washer is clampedin position.

In making lock washers of my improved design, it is only necessary to radially sever the innermargin of the washer stock and then upset the adjacently positioned portions of the stoel; of each prong in opposite directions so as to present the worlr engaging teethV or spurs lil. ln this manner the stock between each pair of prongs is em-V ployed in the upsetting operation to provide the locking spurs. Y

Washers of the type described may be made by practicing conventional machine shop operations, such as stamping and form ing operations, and therefore said device may be very economically produced. The spurs, kin combination with the reinforced portion of the prong adjacent thereto, presenta very rigid locking element and thus render the Awasher adaptable for heavy duty.

Referring to Figure 3, it will be noted that I have shown a conical type of lock washer which is equipped with my improved spur or tooth construction. This washer includes a body portion a and a plurality of marginal prongsA 12a. Opposite edges of said prongs are upset so as to present yworlr envgaging and locking spurs 14a which correspond to the spurs, 14 hereinbefore described. I havey merely shown the conical type of washer in Figure 3 in order to show that my invention is in no sense limited to a fiat type washer or to a washer having inwardly extending prongs. In other words, my invention is capable of application to various types of pronged lock washers.

vIt will be apparent from the drawing that, by upsetting or warping the prongs in the manner shown, suiiicient space is presented between said prongs so as to positively prevent any overlapping of teeth when the washer is clamped between work pieces. kThat is to say, my invention contemplates the provision of a washer having a plurality of radial prongs spaced along onemargin of 45 flat spring stock having oppositely disposed acute work engaging edges, the margins of adjacent prongs beingsuiiiciently spaced by radial slots so as to positively prevent any overlapping of teeth when the washer is subjected to a clamping force.

It vshould be noted that the oppositely dis- ;posed teeth in each prong cooperate with the pronged. bodypto produce a strutting action along the dot-and-dash line Vshown in Figures 2 and 3. This strutting action is particularly significant in Figure 2. men a work-piece is tightened against the washer, forces acting `along the line of strut indicated by the dotand-dash line set up a firm resistance to any force tending to loosen the nut. While the prongs of my improved washer are of exceptionally rigid construction, it'will be apparent that they are suciently resilient to enable Athem to yield when the washer is G5 clamped in place. In this manner the prongs function to effectively and yieldingly secure a work-piece and nut against relative rotation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters 7U 1. A lock lwasher including an annular body formed from resilient material, and a plurality of resilient prongs-provided along at least one of the margins of said body, each 7 5 prong having an acute work engaging tooth yalong one margin thereof and projecting out of the plane of the body in a given axial direction and a corresponding acute work engaging tooth on the other margin and projecting C0 in an opposite direction out ofthe plane of the body, a portion at least of the transverse marginal surfaces of each prong extending substantially parallel with the axis of the washer and merging with the worlr ,engaging 235 corner of a companion tooth, saidteeth-being adapted to set up a strutting action when v'the washer is. tightened between clampingV surfaces. f Y

2. A lock washer including an annular W0 body formed from resilient material, and-a plurality of resilient prongs provided-along at least one of the margins of said-body, each prong having an acute work engaging :tooth along one margin thereof andk projecting out i of the plane of the-body in aggivenairial direction and a corresponding acute work engaging tooth on the other margin and pro-v jecting in an opposite directionout of' the plane of the body, a portion at least'of` thefo transverse marginal surfaces of eachprong extending substantially parallel with thearis of the washer and merging withthe work engaging corner of a companion tooth, `,said j teeth being adapted to set up a strutting acn5 tion when the washer is tightenedbetween clamping surfaces, the teeth being disposed with respect to the bodyy of the washer so as to permit the projection of teeth on both sides of the washer beyond the bounding planes' of no the body when said washer is firmly lclamped in position. l

3. A lock washer including an annular body formed from'resilient material, and a plurality of resilient prongs provided along at least one of the margins o'fhsai'd `bodya space being provided between adjacent prongs, each prong having an vacute work engaging tooth along one .margin thereof andgmo projectingout of theplane of the body in a given axial direction and a corresponding acute work engaging toothon the otherrmargin and projecting. in-an opposite direction out of the plane of the body, aportion at least?? of the transverse marginalsurfaces of each prong extending substantially parallel with the aXis of the washer and merging withfthe worlr engaging corner of a companion-tooth, said teeth'being adaptedtosetfup afstruttingilr 4. A lock washer including an annular body formed from resilient material, and a plurality of resilient prongs providedl along atleast one of the margins of said body, each prong having an acute work engaging tooth alongone margin thereof and projecting out of the plainei of the body in a given axial direcf tion and a corresponding acute work engaging tooth on the other margin and projecting in an opposite direction out of the plane of the body, a Vportion at least of the transverse marginal surfaces yof each prong extending Awasher'is tightened between clamping sursubstantially parallel with the axis yof the washer and merging -with the work engaging corner of a companion tooth, said teeth being adapted to set up a strutting action when the washer is tightened between clamping surfaces, the axial thickness of the prongs at y each margin thereof being greater than the thickness of the washer body.

5. A lock washer including an annular y body formed from resilient material, and. a

plurality of resilient prongs provided along at least one of the margins of said body, each prong having an acute work engaging tooth along one margin thereof and pro]ect1ng out of the plane of the body in a given axial direcg tion and a corresponding acute work engaging tooth on the other margin and projecting in an opposite'directionout of the plane of the body, a portion at least of the transverse marginalr surfaces ofeach prong extending substantially parallel with the axis of the washer and merging'with the work engaging corner of a companion tooth, said teethbeing adapted to set up a strutting action when the faces, said transverse marginal surfaces of each prong converging with the body ofthe vstructure for said tooth.

` Inwitness whereof, l' have hereunto subscribed my name. 1 Y

' CARL G. OLSON. 

